Guilt
by Feilyn
Summary: Major Spoilers for 397. Guilt dogged his footsteps, but he didn't want to escape it anyway. He deserved it. NaruSasu


You need to know about him…this man who risked everything to protect the shinobi world…Konohagakure…and most of all, his little brother…

_Okay, seriously, wtf is up with 397 and why did it bunny me? –confusion–_

_I'm pissed off about the situation, but at the same time not. Regardless of whether or not Madara's just mind-fucking with Sasuke or if Itachi's actually a hero, this is going to _break_ Sasuke. I mean, he's already falling apart now that he's killed Itachi, what happens if he killed _good_ Itachi?_

_This happens, that's what! Lol_

_The prompt was Hand-Me-Downs and I was totally hit over the head with it as I read the chapter. _

_Actually, I think I'm pleased at this turn of events, because it's going to break Sasuke, and the only way Sasuke can return to Konoha is if he's broken._

xXx

_You need to know about him…this man who risked everything to protect the shinobi world…Konohagakure…and most of all, his little brother…_

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut and knotted his blanket in his hands, gasping. It had been two years, but still Madara's voice echoed in his head.

His brother. He'd killed his brother. He was a monster.

Different voices, now. The ones trying to convince him it hadn't been his fault. They meant well, and that was _worse_ because he didn't deserve it.

He didn't deserve any of it.

Sasuke wanted to die.

_Hate, otouto._

Sasuke clenched his eyes tighter, feeling the sharingan whirling wildly beneath his eyelids.

_Live, otouto._

There it was, that voice, his brother's voice, goading him, pushing him further. Training him from behind the deepest cover imaginable, and Sasuke had never realised.

And then that hand _his_ hand, reaching out in benediction the moment of his death, passing on his knowledge, his techniques, his _life_ so his brother might live.

Sasuke had killed Madara, but that didn't make the pain go away. Didn't make the horror go away.

A soft, snuffling sound ripped Sasuke from his thoughts, eyes flying open. He glanced left, then threw the covers off.

He needed some fresh air.

His hands were shaking as he slipped out onto the balcony, silent as ever. Guilt dogged his footsteps, but he hadn't expected to escape it by sitting under the stars. He didn't want to escape it anyway.

He deserved it.

Sasuke couldn't remember falling to his knees, but he was on them now. His body folded down, forehead kissing the cool wood of the balcony.

It was dark here. He liked that. Sasuke deserved darkness.

"You didn't actually think I'd stay asleep with you blundering around like that, did you?"

Sasuke stiffened. He hadn't even sensed the presence behind him, much less heard it approaching.

There was a sigh, and Naruto flopped to the ground next to Sasuke.

"You praying or something?" the blonde asked after a while.

"You could say that."

"Hmm."

Sasuke knew Naruto wasn't going to go away. He never did on nights like these, and the last Uchiha couldn't decide whether or not he appreciated the blonde's comforting presence, or loathed it. After all, he had no wish to be comforted.

"Hand-me-downs," Naruto murmured.

Sasuke lifted his head up a little in confusion, looking at the blonde. He was gazing down at his hands with slit pupils, taking in the inhuman claws.

"This…power." The blonde elaborated, turning his hands over to stare at the scarred palms. "Mine, yours. We didn't…earn it. Hand-me-downs."

Sasuke let his head drop to the ground again.

_Hate, otouto._

"That's a novel way of saying we stole it," Sasuke mumbled.

"Che. I didn't steal mine. Did you steal yours?"

Silence. Naruto had asked this question before, and just like those times, Sasuke had no real answer.

"Feels like it," he said finally.

"Doesn't mean it was."

"At least yours took evil out of the world."

Naruto rocked back on his heels. "The Kyuubi wasn't evil. How can a force of nature be evil? It just didn't know any better." He sighed for the second time that night. "At least yours was given out of love, Sasuke. Not out of some twisted desire for continued existence."

A year and a half ago in the middle of an epic death battle with the Akatsuki, the Yondaime's seal had done what it was intended to, and Naruto had absorbed the Kyuubi entirely. As a result, he had taken on some inhuman characteristics – such as the claws, slit pupils, sharp canines and a tendency to run on all fours.

He was also one of the most powerful ninja in the world. Definitely the most powerful in Konohagakure, which was why Tsunade had finally taken Naruto under her wing and started preparing him to be Hokage.

"I still don't…" It was Sasuke's turn to sigh as he finally pulled his body back up into a sitting position, resting his chin on drawn-up knees. "I don't know. I don't know what to think any more."

Naruto grinned, shoving him in the shoulder. "Teme. When did you ever bother to think?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, shifting his head a little to direct it at the blonde. "This coming from you?"

"Yeah, but I'm real good at it. You screwed up every time you tried."

Sasuke's lips twitched slightly as he turned back to gaze out at the Village. "Yeah. I really did screw up, didn't I?"

He didn't…mind talking about everything with Naruto. Mostly because Naruto didn't have a problem bringing it up. He seemed to think that so long as Sasuke was back now and wasn't going away again, everything was alright

Everything wasn't alright. But Sasuke wasn't going to be the one to tell Naruto that, and he'd kill anyone who did.

"Doesn't matter though." Naruto swung himself to his feet. "There's plenty of time to make up for it, ne?"

He held out his hand. Sasuke took it and allowed himself to be pulled up. Naruto didn't let go.

The looked out at Konoha again, the Village they would give everything to protect.

"After all, we've got their power," the blonde said softly. "We should put it to good use."

Sasuke closed his eyes and clenched his hand in Naruto's slightly, hyper-aware of the sharingan that would never disappear. "Mission tomorrow," he replied, taking comfort in the way Naruto's hand squeezed back.

"Yeah." Naruto turned towards the door and tugged on their conjoined hands. "C'mon then. Back to bed." He wiggled his eyebrows ridiculously, completely destroying the moment.

But then again, Naruto was always destroying moments. Sasuke had learned after a while to do without them.

He hit the blonde upside the head with his free hand and swept past, dragging him inside.

Being powerful…being able to do good things with that power…it didn't make everything all right again. But it was better than having that power and ending up like the Akatsuki.

Naruto kissed him then, and the kiss was a great deal more serious than Naruto's kisses usually were. Sasuke allowed a soft moan in response to this as the back of his knees hit the bed, and then there was no thinking.

xXx

_I don't…know if that's the right place to end it. The thing about writing Sasuke for me, is that it's so incredibly hard to get something…finite on him, if that makes sense. There's no ending in my pieces with him, and while it's somewhat in the nature of what I'm trying to do…_

_Gah. I don't know. I hope you like this, regardless._


End file.
